The Florida Panthers are holding their breath, hoping star forward Matthew Tkachuk will be back in time for the playoffs. It’s a situation that’s got fans worried.
Panthers GM Bill Zito didn’t sugarcoat things Monday, saying Tkachuk would be out for "an extended period of time." He stopped short of giving any specific return date.
The injury bug bit Tkachuk during the 4 Nations Face-Off. He barely played in the final against Canada – just 6 minutes and 47 seconds – and hasn’t been on the ice since.
This is a huge deal for the defending Stanley Cup champs. Tkachuk’s been absolutely on fire this season, putting up 22 goals and 35 assists in 52 games.
The Panthers aren’t taking any chances. They’ve put Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve, which gives them some breathing room under the salary cap.
That extra cap space could come in handy. The team just picked up defenseman Seth Jones, and they’re probably not done dealing yet.
Here’s the tricky part: The Panthers are pretty much out of trading chips. They don’t have a single pick in the first three rounds of this year’s draft, and next year isn’t much better – just one lonely second-rounder.
It gets worse. According to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, the Panthers’ prospect pool ranks dead last in the NHL.
Since coming over from Calgary in July 2022, Tkachuk has been the heart and soul of this Panthers team. He’s been absolutely clutch in the playoffs, racking up 17 goals and 29 assists in 44 games while helping Florida reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals.
Right now, the Panthers are sitting pretty in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 37-21-3 record. But making another deep playoff run without Tkachuk? That’s going to be really tough.
